SRIHARGOBINGPUR: Another instance of alleged police excesses has come to light in the Snhargobindpur area.
Enquiries made by this correspondent during a visit to the area revealed that during the past fortnight at least 100 youths were picked up by the Punjab police and the BSF from seven villages for having “links” with Sikh freedom fighters. They were kept in illegal custody for many days and severely beaten up.
The youths belonged to Bham, Cheema Khuddi, Bharth, Padde, Sohian, Dhariwal and Bhambri villages.
Panches and sarpanches who ‘went to secure their release were humiliated at Snhargobindpur police station and the BSF camp. They were later released on being found innocent.
Villagers told his correspondent that after being let off certain youths had fled from their villages fearing that they might be picked up again.
Sarpanch Kunan Singh of Bhan village said the youths were taken away during combing operations by the police and the BSF, which was on security duty in Gurdaspur district. Residents of Cheema Khuddi village maintained that security personnel went on a “wild goose chase” after a bomb was found on a link road.
Kundan Singh said 15 youths of his village were whisked away about 10 days ago and kept at the BSF headquarters at Bharth. All of them except Satnam Singh were let off after three days.
BSF men, he said, came back after three days and rounded up Gurmit Singh and Surinder Singh. They, along with Satnam Singh, were allegedly beaten up for their “links”.
Three days later, Gurmit Singh and Satnam Singh were handed over to the police which, released them. Surinder Singh, who bore torture marks, was admitted to hospital in ‘a serious condition by his parents,
At Cheema Khuddi village, residents said 33 youths, including 14yrold Bhupinder Singh, were picked up by BSF and police personnel who surrounded the village on September 3. They were taken: to Srihar gobindpur police station. However, they were let off after two days’ detention.
Cheema Khuddi is the native village of slain Sikh nationalist Jugraj Singh, alias Toofan Singh Toofan.
On September 15, six youths were taken away blindfolded to Srihar gobindpur police station and given a beating. One of them, Hardeep Singh, was released at the intervention of the panchayat.
Hardeep Singh’s mother said one of her sons were shot dead last year.
Article extracted from this publication >> October 26, 1990
